Sunday's calamitous Round 16 loss to the Sydney Roosters, 42-8, in Sydney has mounted more pressure on fifth-year Cowboys coach, Todd Payten.
Having lost three of their last four matches, the Cowboys are languishing in 12th place off the back of an NRL-worst for and against record, minus 140.
After the Roosters match, a frustrated Payten said he would be ‘considering’ changes to his top 17, however there are growing rumblings in NRL circles—and with fans on social media—the changes could soon extend to the coach himself.
"Farewell Todd, our sh*t and useless servant", Foreatesevenate said on just one of several heated Reddit boards, post-game.
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"Thanks for the memories, Todd. So long and..so long", HolyRomanEmpbruh replied.
"Todd needs a kick or be kicked", M_Keating suggested bluntly.
"It’s fine to have players developing in roles but the lack of structure and discipline is what comes from the coach."
"Genuine contenders for the Spoon at this rate", Debocore lamented, mirroring the feelings of many fans online.
The Cowboys next face fellow Queensland strugglers, the Gold Coast Titans, at Robina in Round 17 who are themselves coming off a disappointing 36-20 defeat to the Eels.
Anything less than victory will surely ratchet up the pressure even further on Payten, with just over two months until the NRL finals.
Payten, 46, was appointed as North Queensland Cowboys Head Coach to start the 2021 NRL season, following the mid-season resignation of 2015 premiership coach, Paul Green, in 2020.
He took the Cowboys all the way to the Preliminary Final in 2022, and the finals again last season, bowing out to Cronulla in Week Two.
Payten’s coaching record since joining the Townsville-based outfit stands at 58 wins, 56 losses.